Acoustic ear pendant



June 9, 1953 D. F. BALMER 2,641,327

ACOUSTIC EAR PENDANT Filed Oct. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 'J E j 5 \i\\\\\ JNVENTOR. 24 DONALD E BALMER H T TORNEY June 9, 1953 D. F. BALMER 2,641,327

ACQUSTIC EAR PENDANT Filed 00 13, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DONALD F. BALMER HTTORNE Y Patented June 9, 1953 ACOUSTIC EAR PENDANT Donald F. Balmer, East River, Conn., assignor to The Soundscriber Corporation, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut 1 Application October 13, 1950, Serial No. 189,927

2 Claims.

This invention relates to listening devices, and is directed particularly to a compact, light-weight acoustic ear pendant especially suitable for use by stenographers in transcribing electrically recorded speech.

One object of this invention is to provide a listening device of the above nature that will be comfortable, even though worn for long periods of time.

Another object is to provide a hearing device which will be simple to apply to the ears and which, at the same time, will not disturb the listeners hair.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawing, one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 represents a front assembly view, with sections broken away, of an electro-acoustic ear pendant set.

Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the ear pendants shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 'I-I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a drawing illustrating how the ear pendants are fitted over the ears for listening.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l0 indicates generally the complete listening device including the invention. The device comprises a pair of ear pendants II, I2 communicating at their lower ends with one end each of a pair of flexible tubes I3, l4 preferably of rubber like plastic material. The other ends of the tubes I3, I4 communicate respectively with the upper tubular arms I5, I6 of a thin, cylindrical Y-connector I1. The lower tubular arm ll! of the Y- connector I! communicates with the upper end of a flexible tube I9 of the same material as the tubes l3, l4 and of somewhat larger diameter, the

lower end of which communicates with the sound channel portion 20 of a sound reproducing electro-acoustical receiver member 2I. The receiver member 2| is provided at its lower end with an electrical plug P adapted to be inserted into a jack for connection to the usual audio amplifier of a sound transcriber. The plug P contains an electromagnetically actuated diaphragm, not shown.

The Y-connector I1 is provided with an internal Y-shaped opening 22 interconnecting the tubular arms I5, I6, and I8, so that sound waves set up by the diaphragm in the receiver member 2| may pass freely through the flexible tubes [9, I3, and I4 to the ear pendants II, I2.

Each of the complementary ear pendants II, l2, which are preferably formed of plastic material, is flat and smooth and conforms generally to the shape and curvature of a question mark. Each ear pendant II, I2 increases in width from its lower end to its upper end and has its upper end terminating in an inwardly-extending enlarged portion 23. The lower end of each of the ear pendants has fixed therein a hollow, downwardly-extending tubular connector member 24, the upper end of which communicates with an internal sound channel 25 extending substantially the full length of the ear pendant, and increasing in width gradually within the enlarged portion 23. The enlarged portion 23 of each of the ear pendants II, I2 is further provided in its side facing the wearers ear with a vertically extending elongated opening 26 communicating with the sound channel 25 and open to the air.

The ear pendants II, I2 are preferably constructed of complementary shell halves having flat smooth abutting sections cemented together as shown in Fig. 7.

The listening device is preferably provided with a link 2! having curved end portions embracing the outer surfaces of the flexible tubes I3, I4, and slidably adjustable therealong. The curved end portions are fitted closely to the tubes I3, I4 so as to have frictional engagement therewith and causing said link to remain in any adjusted position under the users chin to prevent the listening device from falling off.

Operation In use, the listener will hook the ear pendants I I, I2 over the back of his cars, so that the elongated openings 26 will lie adjacent the ear openings in alignment with the ear drums. The link 21 will then be adjusted along the flexible tubes I3, I4 to vary the tension on the lower ends of the pendants, as desired. The receiver member 21 will then be plugged into the usual transcriber amplifier, whereupon sound waves will travel acoustically through the flexible tubes i9, i3, and [4, the sound channels 25 and the openings 26 into the listeners ears.

One advantage of the improved ear pendant is that it is very attractive in appearance, inconspicuous, and very light in weight, and can, therefore, be worn for long periods of time without discomfort.

Another advantage is that the device can easily be applied to or removed from the ears without disturbing the users hair.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that the form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. An acoustical ear pendant comprising a hollow fiat curved planar member conforming substantially to the shape of a question mark, the upper section of which is adapted to lie behind the upper part of the listeners ear and is provided with an enlarged downwardly and inwardly extending fiat portion lying in front of the concha of said ear, and a depending lower section positioned behind the ear lobe, said member having an internal channel extending throughout its length and gradually increasing in size from said lower section to said downwardly and inwardly extending portion, the latter of which has an elongated narrow vertical slot for communicating sounds from said channel to the concha of the listeners ear, said lower section having an opening for the insertion of a flexible sound receiving tubular conduit.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which said hollow planar member is constructed from a pair of complementary side sections, cemented together around their peripheries.

DONALD F. BALMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 526,802 Bowles Oct. 2, 1894 989,714 Lepre Apr. 18, 1911 1,143,791 Singer June 22, 1915 1,556,775 Fensky Oct. 13, 1925 1,847,607 Hardt Mar. 1, 1932 1,884,638 Fensky Oct. 25, 1932 2,474,135 White June 21, 1949 2,545,731 French Mar. 20, 1951 

